Mechanical horse



June 2, 1959 D. LYLES $889,148

MECHANICAL HORSE Filed Sept. 25, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 XNVENTOR 3| GEORGE D. LYLES FIG-6 zw aww ATTORNEY June 2, 1959 G. D. LYLES MECHANICAL HORSE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Sept. 25, 1956 FIG-3 FIG INVENTOR GEORGE D. LYLES ATTORNEY 2,889,148 Faten'ied June 2, 1959 MECHANICAL HORSE George D. Lyles, Tullahoma, Tenn. Application September 25, 1956, Serial No. 611,866

8 Claims. (Cl. 272--53.1)

This invention relates to a mechanical horse and more particularly to a mechanical rocking horse which is also adapted to buck at the option of the rider.

One object of this invention is to provide a mechanical horse which is given a smooth galloping motion by means of an eccentric mechanism.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mechanism adapted to give an intermittent bucking motion to a mechanical rocking horse while the horse is rocking.

Another object of this invention is to provide a mechanical horse in which all of the operating parts are contained within the body of the horse.

A further object of this invention is to provide a mechanical horse having a compact, inexpensive and easily assembled operating mechanism for rocking the horse or for rocking and bucking the horse at the option of the rider.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the mechanical horse disclosing its rocking positions;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the rocking and bucking mechanisms with parts of the body frame removed, and disclosing the rocking frame in horizontal position and the bucking mechanism in operating position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation taken from the side opposite from Fig. 2, with parts of the body frame broken away, and disclosing the rocking frame in a tilted position and the bucking mechanism in inoperative position;

Fig. 4 is a partial section taken along the lines 4-4 of Fig. 2, disclosing the support plate, roller bearings, rocking frame and control cam;

Fig. 5 is a section taken along the lines 55 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 3 with the bucking mechanism in operative position.

Referring now to the drawings in more detail, Fig. l discloses a base 10 upon which is mounted a column 11 supporting the body of a horse 12 having a saddle 13 upon which a child, or other rider, may sit while the horse 12 is rocking and bucking.

Referring now to the other figures, a vertically disposed support plate 14 is provided with a depending stub shaft 15 of square cross-section and adapted to be received in a square socket 16 in the top of the column 11, and secured by means such as bolt 17. As best disclosed in Fig. 4 a pair of roller bearings 18 are rotatably mounted on each side of and near the top of the support plate 14.

Mounted on top of the roller bearings 18 is a rocking frame or plate 19. Depending from the rocking plate 19 are a pair of spaced guide plates 20, and extending inward toward each other from each guide plate 20 are a pair of runners 21. The runners 21 are spaced from each other a suflicient distance to permit the free longitudinal movement of the support plate 14. The guide plates 20 and runners 21 limit the movement of the rocking plate 19 over the roller bearings 18 to a longitudinal and pivotal motion. Braces 22 are fixed to the rocking plate 19 and abut against the outside of the guide plates 28 to provide lateral support.

The rocking plate 19 also dependently supports a motor 23, a gear reduction box 24 and an eccentric frame 25. The eccentric frame 25 supports a rotary shaft 26 to which is fixedly mounted a pulley 27, a gear 28 and an eccentric wheel 29. An eccentric arm 30 is fixed to the eccentric wheel 29 and is pivoted at :31 to one end of the support plate 14. The pulley 27 is driven by means of the belt 32, through the drive pulley 33, gear reduction box 24, transmission 34 and motor 23.

Since the support plate 14 is fixed to the column 11, rotation of the shaft 26 ultimately by the motor 23 causes the eccentric wheel 29 to rotate about the pivot point 31 on the support plate 14. Since the eccentric wheel 29, the rotary shaft 26, the eccentric frame 25, the gear reduction box 24, the motor 23 and the rocking plate 19 are all fixed in relation to each other, all these parts will be carried with the rocking plate 19 which will move back and forward in a rocking motion on the roller bearings 18.

The body frame 35, which is preferably a rectangular structure made of angle irons, may be attached to the body of the horse 12 by any suitable means such as bolts, not shown, inside of the body of the horse and adapted to mate with threaded openings 36 (Fig. 5) in the flanges of the body frame 35. The body frame is pivoted at 37 to a hinge strap 38 fixedly secured to the rocking plate 19. A strap 39 fixed near one end of the rocking plate 19, has depending ears 40 having slots 41 adapted to engage and slide over pins 42 fixed in the sides of the body frame 35. Such a structure provides limited pivotal movement of the rocking plate 19 within the body frame 35, in order to permit the operation of the bucking mechanism.

The bucking mechanism comprises a bucking gear 43 which is mounted on the eccentric frame 25 and meshes with the gear 28. The bucking gear 43 drives a shaft 44 which rotates a bucking cam 45. Depending from the body frame 35 is a bracket 46 in which is journaled a bucking roller 47, normally adapted to engage the bucking cam as disclosed in Figs. 2 and 6. The bucking cam 45 disclosed in the drawings has two cam surfaces spaced 180 apart, so that for every 180 of revolution of the bucking shaft 44, the bucking roller 47 is raised and the body frame 35 is given a limited pivotal movement about the rocking plate 19. Thus, the body of the horse 12 will be given a repeated systematicbucking motion while the horse is rocking.

In order that the rider of the horse may engage and disengage the bucking mechanism at his option, controls are provided comprising a control cam 48 fixed to a rotatable shaft 49 mounted transverse to the body frame 35 so that the cam 48 may engage the end strap 39. The control cam 48 disclosed in the drawings is in the shape of a disc segment with the fiat portion adapted to engage the top of the end strap when the bucking cam 45 and bucking roller 47 are in engagement to cause the horse to buck. (Figs. 2 and 6.) Extending from the cam shaft 49 is a cam lever 50 having a slot 51 engaging a pin 52 on one end of a link arm 53 pivoted to the side of the body fname 35 at 54. The other end of the link arm 53 is pivoted at 55 to the plunger 56 of a solenoid 57 mounted on the side of the body frame 35. By a suitable switch 58 (Fig. 1), and circuit 59, the: solenoid 57 may be actuated to pivot the link arm 53 and turn the control cam 43 into the position disclosed inFig. 3. Such an operation forces the rocking plate 19 to pivot away from the body frame 35 and be held in this position until released. Consequently, the bucking roller 47 will be thrust away from the path of the rotating bucking cam 45, and any furtherbucking is-eliminated until the control cam 48 is returned to its original position in Figs. 2 and 6.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

When 'therider assumes his position in the saddle 13, he may start the motor 23,preferably-by inserting a coin into the coin box 60 (Fig. 1) 'to actuate mechanism not shown, controlling the operation of the motor. The motor 23 through transmission 34, gear reduction box 24, drive pulley 33,;belt 32, pulley'27 and rotary shaft 26, drives 'the eccentric wheel '29 about the pivot point 31 on the support plate 14 by'rne'ansof the eccentric arm 30. The "eccentric motion of the wheel 29 carries with it the rocking plate 19 and all parts supportedtherefrom. The rocking plate 19, guide plates 20 and runners 21 are caused-to move back and forth in a rockingmo'tion over the roller bearings 18. Controls may 'be provided, ofcourse, 'to permit the rider to vary the speed of the motor 23 and consequently of the rocking motion of the horse 12.

When the rider desires to buck the horse, 'heoperates the switch 58 to activate the solenoid 57 to rotate the control cam 48 from the position indicated in Fig. 3 to that indicated in Figs. 2 and 6. This operation engages the bucking roller 47 with'the bucking cam 45 and creates continuous intermittent pivotal motion between the rocking plate 19 and the body frame to *give the horse a bucking motion.

It will be "apparent to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention, Without departing from the spirit and scope thereof, and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawings and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A mechanical horse comprising a standard, a first frame mounted for rocking movement on said standard, eccentric means mounted on said first frame and connected to said standard for rotation about a fixed horizontal axis on said standard, a second frame pivoted to said first frame for limited movement in a vertical plane with respect to said first frame, a bucking mechanism comprising a rotary bucking cam mounted near one end of one of said frames, a bucking roller mounted on the adjacent end of the other said frames for engagement with said bucking cam, motive means mounted on said first frame for driving said eccentric means for rocking said first frame on said standard and for simultaneously driving said bucking cam, and means for engaging and disengaging said bucking cam with said bucking roller.

2. A mechanical horse comprising a standard, a roller bearing mounted on top of said standard, a rocking frame mounted for reciprocating and rocking motion on said rol ler bearing, said rocking frame comprising guides for receiving said roller bearing and limiting the movement of said rocking frame to a vertical longitudinal plane, a rotary shaft transversely journaled in said rocking frame, an eccentric arm fixed to said shaft and pivoted to a portion of said standard longitudinally spaced from said bearing, motive means mounted on said rocking frame for driving said rotary shaft to rock said rocking frame about said standard, a body frame hinged to said rocking frame for limited vertical pivotal movement, a bucking mechanism comprising a bucking roller mounted on said body frame and spaced from the hinged portions of said frames, and a rotary bucking cam mounted on said rocking frame and adapted to engage saidbucking rollerto impart intermittent pivotalmotion to said body frame relative to said rocking frame, gear means for simultaneously driving said-rotary bucking cam with said rotary shaft, and means for engaging and disengaging said bucking cam with said bucking roller.

3. The invention according to claim 2 in which the means for engaging and disengaging said bucking cam with said bucking roller comprises a control cam rotatably mounted on said body frame and adapted to engage said rocking frame, and solenoid means for rotating said cam to pivot said rocking frame relative to said bucking frame.

4. A mechanical horse comprising a standard, a first frame mounted for rocking movement on said standard, eccentric means for rocking said first frame on said standard, a second frame pivoted to said first frame for limited movement in a vertical plane with respect to said first frame, a bucking mechanism comprising a rotary bucking cam mounted near one end of one of said frames, a bucking roller mounted on the adjacent end of the other of said frames for engagement with said bucking cam and motive means mounted on said first frame for driving said eccentric means for rocking said first frame on said standard and for simultaneously driving said bucking earn.

5. A mechanical horse comprising a standard, an enlarged longitudinally disposed support member on said standard, a bearing mounted on top of said support memher, a rocking frame comprising a plate 'freely supported by said bearing for longitudinal movement over the surface thereof, eccentric means near one end of said rocking frame for rotating said end about a fixed pivot point on the adjacent end of said support merriberlongitudinally spaced from said bearing, and means for driving said eccentric means to rotate said end of the rocking frame about the adjacent end of said support member and to simultaneously reciprocate said plate over the surface of said bearing to simulate the movement of a running horse.

6. -A mechanical horse eomprising a standard-a longitudinally disposed elongated support member on top of said standard, a roller bearing mounted on top of said support member, a rocking frame freely supported by and in rolling contact with said roller bearing for longitudinal movement over the surface thereof, eccentric means near one end of said rocking frame for rotating said end of the rocking frame about a fixed pivot point on the adjacent end of said support member longitudinally spaced from said bearing, and means for driving said eccentric means to rotate said 'end of the rocking frameabout the adjacent end of said support member and to simultaneously reciprocate said frame over the surface of said bearing to simulate the movement ofa running horse.

7. A'mechanical horse comprisingastandard, a longitudinally disposed elongated support member on top of said standard, a roller .be'aringmounted on a transverse axis near the top of said support member, a rocking frame comprising a plate supported byand in rolling contact with said roller bearing, for longitudinal movement over the surface thereof, spaced guide plates depending from said rocking plate on opposite sides of said roller bearing to limit the movement of said rocking frame to a vertical longitudinal plane, a rotary shaft transversely journaled near one end of said rocking frame, a crank arm,-one end of which is fixed to said rotary shaft and the other end of which is pivoted to the adjacent end of said support 'member longitudinally spaced from said bearing, and

drive meansfor rotating said shaft'to simultaneously rock and reciprocate said rocking frame plate over thefsurface of said bearing to simulate the movement of a running horse.

8. A mechanical horse comprising a standard, an enlarged longitudinally disposed support member on said standard, a bearing'm'ounted on top of said support member, a rocking frame comprising a plate freely supported by said bearing for longitudinal movement over the surface thereof, eccentric means near one end of said rock- 'ing frame for rotating saidend about a fixed pivot point on the adjacent end of said support member longitudinally spaced from said bearing, a body frame hinged to said rocking frame for limited vertical pivotal movement, a bucking mechanism comprising a rotary bucking cam mounted near one end of one of said frames, a bucking roller mounted on the adjacent end of the other of said frames for engagement with said bucking cam, and motive means for driving said eccentric means to rock said first frame on said standard and for simultaneously driving said bucking cam.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Zsarnay Oct. 28, 1924 Peters May 29, 1928 Brackett Oct. 8, 1929 Carniol Feb. 12, 1935 Small Nov. 1, 1955 Auger Dec. 13, 1955 

